'Mentega Terbang' filmmakers obtain court leave to challenge ban

The “Mentega Terbang” makers were granted civil court leave to proceed with their challenge against the government ban on the religiously controversial movie.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning allowed the judicial review leave application.

With leave granted, judge Amarjeet Singh is set to hear the parties' oral submissions on the merits of the judicial review on a separate date.

During proceedings, federal counsel Sallehudin Md Ali objected to the moviemakers' leave bid, pointing out that the Home Ministry's decision to ban the 2021 film last year is not open to legal challenges.

"We object as the prohibitory order is not subject to judicial review," said the legal representative for the two respondents - the ministry and the government.

However, the filmmakers’ counsel Zaid Malek countered that case law supports the notion that a ministry ban order can be challenged in court in exceptional circumstances.

Amarjeet granted leave and set Feb 14 for case management of the judicial review.

Movie ban

In December last year, director and producer - Mohd Khairianwar Jailani and Tan Meng Kheng - filed a civil challenge to lift the ban.

The movie tells the story of 15-year-old Aishah, who in the face of her mother's death, gets drawn into exploring the concept of rebirth as contained in other religions.

Her father is also shown as a liberal character who has no issues with his daughter studying the holy scriptures of other religions in search of an answer.

Earlier this month at the criminal court, Khairianwar and Tan were also charged with hurting the religious feelings of others via involvement in the making of the movie.

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